Apparatus for producing noxious gases and method of asphyxiating obnoxious animals



e. M. FOWLER. I APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING NOXIOUS GASES AND METHOD OF ASPHYXIATING OBNOXIOUS ANIMALS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-231I92O- Patented Dec. 20, 19210 wows.

INVENTOR.

Ga/e: /7 ELI/Aer A A T UNITED STAT PATENT OFFICE.

GATES .LVL FOWLER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING NOXIO US GASES AN D METHOD OBNOXIOUS ANIMALS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pat flted Dec, 20,

Application filed March 23, 1920. Serial no. 367,953.

T all whom it may concern Be 1t known that 'I, GATES M. FOWLER, a

, citizen of the United States, residing at Los .Angeles,'in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Apparatus for Producing Noxious Gases and Methods of Asphyxiating Obnoxious Animals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus of the type employed, more especially, for the extermination ofrodents and other animals whose presence in or near human habitation is undesirable for various reasons, it being designed to inject deadly gases or fumes into the cavities, holes, burrows or nests in which the-rodents take refuge.

An object of this invention is to effect the production of noxious gases or fumes and the forcing of said .vapors into the cavities or holes occupied by pests such as ground squirrels, gophers, and other undesirable animals. 1 L Another object is to produce an apparatus of this. type of comparatively simple construction and one which operates in a comparatively simple manner so that highly skilled operators are not required to operate it in an effective manner.

Another object is to effect the production of large amounts of carbon monoxid, carbon dioXid and other deadly gases or fumes.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the subjoined detailed description.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is an elevation, mainly'in vertical mid-section, of an apparatus embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a ratus.

Fig. 3 is a reduced plan section on line indicated. by 03 -518 Fig. 1.

Fig. lis an inverted reduced plan section on line indicated by m%m Fig. 1.

There is provided a suitable container indicated in general by the character 1 and having a combustion chamber 2 in its lower portion and a fan chamber 3 in its upper reduced plan view of the appaportion, there being a partition 1 between said chambers. The partition t is provided with a port 5, affording communication be-' tween the chambers 2, 3. The bottom of the chamber 2 is shown at 6 and is provided with air ports 7. On the. bottom 6 may be placed a suitable fuel 8 adapted to produce noxious gases. A form of fuel which it is advisable to employQfor the purpose for which the invention is intended, is charcoal. Preferably beneath the bottom and spaced therefrom is av member designed to. prevent fire, which may pass through the ports 7, from dropping out of the apparatus, said member in this instance being shown in the form of an ash pan 9. The bottom 6 is spaced from the pan 9 by legs 10 and said legs may connect the pan to the container 1 so that when the container is lifted the pan will accompany it.

The chamber 2 may be provided with a flue 11. The flue may be closed by a damper or any other suitable device, in this instance the closing being effected, when desired, by placing a cap 12 upon the upper end of the A chamber 13 is provided for the reception of a fume or gas-producing chemical inclicated at 14. Such chemical may be, for example, sulfur or arsenic. The chamber 13, in this particular instance, is partly formed by a hollow member 15 and a portion of the partition 4:, said hollow member being fastened by rivets 16 to the partition. The partition is provided with a port 17 affording communication between the chambers 3, 13. The peripherial wall of the container 1 is provided with an'opening 18, adapted to be normally closed by a door 19. In the instance shown in the drawings the door 19 slides, being provided at its side edges with flanges 20 engaging flanges 21 mounted on the container 1 adjacent the side edges of the opening 18. The fuel is supplied'to the 'container through the opening 18.

Means are provided to expel the fumes or gases, entering the chamber 3', therefrom through a suitable tube 22 which communicates through an opening 23 with the chamber 3. In the instance shown in the drawings the gas-expelling means comprise a fan 24 mounted on the lower end of a shaft 25 which turns in a bearing 26 supportedby arms 27 mounted on the top of the container. It is understood that the invention inits broader phases includes any suitable means for turning the shaft- 25 and it may, if desired, be turned by hand by any of the usual hand-operated appliances such, for example, as-a crank.

In this invention, however, the shaftis driven by mechanical power applied through a pulley 28 on the shaft, pulleys 29 on a shaft 30 journaled in bearings 31 i supported by two of the arms 27, and a belt 32 passing around thepulley 28 and the different runs of said belt passingover the pulley 29. The belt 32 is driven, in this particular instance, by a. pulley. 33 mounted on the shaft 34 of a motor 35. Preferably the motor 35 will be of the internal combustion type and the exhaust gases from said motor cischarge therefrom through a tube 36 which connects with the tube 22.

S The top of the container is provided in alinement with the ports 17 with an opening 37 closed by "a cap 38. The chemical employed in the chamber 13 may beintro duced thereto through the opening 37 and port 17.

The invention operates as follows: 'Assuming that the fuel 8 and chemical 14 have been introduced into the chambers 2 and 13 respectively, the cap 12 will be removed 5 from the flue and the fuel will be ignited. When the fuel has burned sufficiently .to

producea mass of live coals, the cap 12 will be placed on the flue and the tube 22 will be inserted in the hole or other place of 0 refuge of the animal exterminate. ,Then the .motor 35 will be started intooperation in a manner well un-v derstood in the art pertaining thereto. The carbon monoxid, carbon dioxid and other gases produced in the chamber 2 by combustion of the fuel pass through the port 5 into the chamber 3. Also the fumes or gases fromthe chemical 14 pass through the port 17' of the chamber 3. The rotating fan 24. j aids in drawing the gases from the cham- {jbers 2 and 13 into the chamber 3 and said fan also -functions to drive or expel the deadly gases thus produced into the tube 22 and through said tube into the earth burrow or nest receiving treatment. The exhaust gases from the motor, passing through the tube 36 mix with the gases and fumes ,comingfrom the chamber 3 and. pass with them into the burrow or nest. The mixture $0 of deadly gases thus forced into the hole 'su'fi'ocates and poisons the rodent.

If sulfur is employed in the chamber 13, the heat produced in the combustion chamber will cause vaporization of the sulfur i5 and the sulfur vapor passing into the chamber 3 will combinelwith carbon dioxid gases produced in the chamber 2 and form carbon disulfid gas. The carbon disulfid, carbon monoxid and other gases of combustion pro 30 duce a. mixture that is extremely poisonous to all animal life and such gases are sufficiently stable so as to not quickly condense by cooling of the gases when they enter burrows formed in the earth by the rodents.

The fan also causes air to be drawn which. it is desired to the burrows quickly displace the air therein and, if sulfur is employed, the produced carbon disulfid gas being about one and a half times heavier than-the air settles to the lower portions of the burrows and kills any air-breathing animal in'the burrows being treated.

From the foregoing it is clear that the invention .provides for theproduction of carbon dioxid from the combustion of charcoal or other suitable fuel and at the same time for vaporization of a'chemlcal such as sulfur which will combine with the car bon dioxid to produce a very, heavy noxious gas; that it makes use of a suction pump between .the combustion chamber and discharge tube to pull all of the air used through the fire and to also mix the gases fromthe chambers '3, 13; that it: provides for the use of arsenic or a suitable oil for producing whitevapors or-smoke that will indicate, when escaping from the burrows being treated, allof the openings from the surface of the ground to. the burrows; that it provides for utilizing the operating motor asonc source of noxious gases, among which is carbon monoxid; and that the aparatus produces poisonous gases in sufficient volume to fill the burrows which are sometimes hundreds of feet in length.

Apparatuses have heretofore been devised for exterminating rodents by producing smokeand fumes, but many of said apparatuses fail to kill the rodents since they-produce onlypartial suffocation, and therefore, after the apparatus has been removed, the rodents recover because they have not been poisoned by the smoke and fumes. This apparatus effectually destroys the rodents for the reason that it produces in large volume carbon monoxid, carbon dioxid and car-- bon disulfid gases which are deadly poisons to animal life.

The invention is not limited in its broader aspects to the exact details of construc- -tion shown in the drawings and herein .described, but the invention also includes such holding means in the container, a tube conchamber adapted to hold fuel, chemicalholding means in the container, a tube connected with'the container, means in the con t'ainer to expel the fumes from the chemical-holding means into the tube, an internal combustion motor operatively connected with the gas-expelling means, and a tube connectin the motor exhaust with the first named tu e;

3. In an apparatus for producing noxious gases, a container having a combustion chamber adapted to' hold fuel, chemicalnected with the container, means in the container to expel the products of combustion from the chamber and the fumes from the chemical-holding means into the tube, an internal combustion motor operatively connected with the gas expelling means, and a tube connectin the motor exhaust with the first named tu e. c

4. In an apparatus for producing noxious gases, a container forming a combustion chamber and a fan chamber communicating with each other, a hollow member in the combustion chamber having its interior communicating with the fan chamber, a tube connected with the fan chamber, a fan in the fan chamber, and an internal combustion motor operatively connected with the fan by the animal.

6. In an apparatus for producing noxious gases, a container having a partition separating the container into a combustion chamber and a fan chamber, there being ports in the partition and one of the ports affording communication between the combustion chamber and fan chamber, a fan mounted to ;rotate in the fan chamber, means to operate the fan, a tube connected *with the fan chamber, and a hollow member mounted beneath another one of the ports and communicating through said port with the fan chamber.

Signed at Los Angeles, Cal, this 17th day of March, 1920.

' GATES M. FOWLER. Witnesses:

"- GEORGE H. HILEs, KATE B. MOKEE. 

